


Happy Birthday, Clint!

by asamandra



Category: Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Clint's Birthday, F/M, M/M, Prompt Fill, Sad, his friends forgot him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-30
Updated: 2014-01-04
Packaged: 2018-01-06 19:39:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1110745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asamandra/pseuds/asamandra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>People forgot Clint's birthday...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I've waited for you

**Author's Note:**

> This prompt on avengerkink: [Gen or Any/Clint: People forget Clint's Birthday](http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/17613.html?thread=41260749#t41260749)
> 
> Clint grew up with birthdays less than important. As he got older and gained friends, it was something he grew to appreciate. People showed they cared for him. It's not so much gifts that he cares about, it's the gesture: a simple happy birthday is all he wants.
> 
> He makes plans this year for his birthday (nothing grand) and everyone agrees to attend (barring emergencies or acts of supervillainy to be concerned about). Everything seems great- he reminds people and they all say, yes they will attend. Only the day comes and no one shows up. Not even Clint's SO (if you wish to pair him). Clint's more than a bit hurt.
> 
> He goes home. There's not surprise party. Nothing. The day ends and no one even wishes him a happy birthday. He just feels stupid and decides if no one cared he's not going to bring it up.

He looked at his phone. Again. It felt like it was the hundredth time. No message. From no one. He sighed and closed his eyes. The waiter and the other staff already stared at him.

He had booked a table for fifteen people in his favorite restaurant and only he was here, nicely dressed in his new suit. He had bought it to surprise them. Steve said he looks good in a suit. Natasha had promised to come, Tony and Pepper, Bruce and Betty, Thor and Jane and Darcy, Fury, Maria, Jasper, Phil, Melinda. And Steve. Not even he was here. Two hours. And no one was here. It was the first time he really wanted to celebrate his birthday. Together with his friends. Together with Steve. He had invited them and they had said they would come. He had reminded them two days ago and they had said they would come. And now he sat here alone and waited for them and felt so stupid.

He looked around in the restaurant. There was another group. About twenty people. A birthday. He watched them having a good time, laughing, eating, drinking, talking. Half an hour ago one of the waiters had brought a birthday cake and one of the women blew out the candles and then she had closed her eyes for a few seconds. He hoped that her wish would come true. Her guests sang “Happy Birthday” for her and ate the cake while he watched them.

He felt the glances of other people on his back and looked at his phone again. No message. From no one. He sighed again and gestured to one of the waiters for the check. He paid and gave them a generous tip. At least the waiter was the only one who had wished him a happy birthday.

Outside of the restaurant he called a taxi and drove home. _Home,_ he snorted. 

Back at the tower the elevator finally brought him up to the common floor. He found Bruce, Betty, Thor and Jane in the living room, talking, Tony discussed something Stark Industries related with Pepper. He went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of beer.

Steve sat on the breakfast table and read.

“Hey babe.” He smiled and Clint took a long sip of his beer.

“Hey,” he answered and turned around.

“Where have you been?” Steve asked and Clint pretended to search for something in the cupboards.

“Out.”

“All alone?” Clint closed his eyes again and gritted his teeth.

“Apparently.” He closed the cupboard, took his beer and went to the door.

“Where are you going?” Clint could hear Steve rise.

“Bed.” He ignored him and left the kitchen without looking at him.

“Hey, Clint. Nice suit! Why did you dress up weeknights?” Natasha asked him on his way back to the elevator.

“Just for the heck of it,” he grumbled and pressed the button to his floor, not Steve's.

When he closed the door of his apartment behind him he leaned against it and he felt a tear leave his left eye. He stood there for a few minutes, his head against the door and stared at the ceiling. They were at home. No emergency, no supervillain, nothing. They forgot him. They simply forgot him. Slowly he stripped out of the new suit and threw it into the trash can.

“Agent Barton, Captain Rogers requests permission to enter.” Jarvis addressed him on his way to his bedroom.

“No. Tell him I'm already asleep.” Clint flopped down on his bed and stared again at the ceiling. He felt dumb right now. Really, really dumb. He had so looked forward to celebrate his birthday with his friends, with Steve. And it's not that he expected presents or anything. A simple 'Happy Birthday, Clint' would've done it for him. But no one, not even Steve had thought about it.

He turned onto his side, hugged the empty cushion when he felt another tear leave his eye. He closed his eyes and let the tears out.

“Happy Birthday, Clint.”


	2. I need time, Steve

“Agent Barton?” Clint heard Jarvis's quiet voice.

“Yes, Jarvis?” he mumbled, half asleep.

“Agent Romanov wants to see you,” the AI said and Clint turned in his bed to lie on his back. Once again he stared onto the ceiling. 

“No. I'm... I don't want to see her. Or anyone else.” 

“All right, Agent Barton.” Jarvis kept quiet for a few seconds before he added, “Happy Birthday, Agent Barton.”

“Thanks, J.” Clint sighed and pulled the blanket over his head. A waiter and an artificial intelligence were the only two who didn't forget him. Yay!

“Do you want me to tell them, Agent Barton?” 

“No. Absolutely not.” 

 

 

“What's wrong? The last two days you've avoided everyone of us,” Natasha finally spat after cornering him on his way to the range. He put his bow case down and gritted his teeth.

“Clint, I want you to talk to me,” she demanded.

“Nothing. Everything is fine.” Even he could hear the petulance in his voice but he didn't look away, he held her eyes, saw her squint hers and trying to figure out what was wrong with him. No one of them seemed to realize that all of them had forgotten him, had let him sit alone in a restaurant for more than two hours, feeling stupid. No one seemed to realize how much they hurt him. 

“Fine.” Natasha hit the wall beside his head with her palm before she shot off with another angry glare. _Yeah, sure! You are angry!_ He thought. _What about me?_

He took his bow case and went to the range.

 

 

“Agent Barton? Mr. Stark asked me to remember you that it's Thursday and that they await you in the communal living room for movie night.” Clint looked up from the file on his lap and furrowed his brows. 

“I'm afraid I haven't any time. I have to go on a mission tomorrow and I want to be prepared.” He leaned back on the couch in his apartment and looked at the page he just read again. He never took the files Shield gave him home.

“Mr. Stark said they can skip 'Men in Black' and watch 'The Fast and the Furious'.” Jarvis told him.

“No, thanks. I have work to do.” 

He really loved 'The Fast and the Furious'. Tony knew that. But he really didn't want to watch a movie with them right now. It was nine days since his disastrous birthday and he still didn't want to see them. With a sigh he once again turned back to the file on his lap and took another sip of his coffee.

 

 

“Clint, please. What's wrong. You're avoiding me for days now, you didn't talk to me, you stay in your apartment and when we're together you lie there like a dead fish. Is it... did I do something? Do you have someone else?” Steve caught him on his way to the quinjet. He already was in full gear, his rucksack and his bow case in his hands and shades on.

“No... that's not it. I didn't have much time. There's this mission...” he started and tried to enter the quinjet. He heard the pilot already starting the engines.

“I've asked Coulson. He said it's a simple search and destroy mission, nothing you haven't done hundredths of times before.” Steve blocked his paths with his arm and Clint could smell him. And really, he just wanted to hug him but... he forgot him. He could forgive the others and to a certain degree he already had but Steve? He had known how much this _party_ had meant to him.

Clint sighed and removed his shades. “I... I'm back in two weeks. And then we talk, promise,” he said and Steve looked like someone had kicked his puppy.

“Okay. Good luck, babe,” Steve leaned forward and kissed him but it wasn't the usual passionate kiss, it was chaste and uncertain. “Love you,” he said and stepped aside. Clint looked at his feet for a second, then he grabbed his stuff and entered the waiting quinjet. 

“See you,” he answered. No 'I love you', like usual. The last thing he could see was Steve's face crumble. And now it was him who felt bad.

 

 

The mission went smooth as usual. It took him about ten days to follow all the leads and find the terrorists camp but then he killed their leaders, destroyed their armory and stole their data. On his way back he had a few problems with the old jeep and he had to stop at a gas station somewhere in the nowhere in Yemen. The owner looked warily at him despite him not wearing any military gear right now. He wore the 'uniform' of Red Crescent and also his car showed the emblem.

But he invited him to wait in his house as long as he took a look at the car. His family was there and only a small boy was brave enough to come over to him. He sat on the old, worn out couch and the boy finally took the seat beside him. 

“Hello,” the boy addressed him in Arabic and Clint, who was fluent, smiled and greeted him back.

“My name is Mahir. What is your name?” 

Clint cocked his head but then he answered him. “My name is Hami,” he said. His alias was that of a Turkish man and luckily he spoke both, Arabic and Turkish, fluent.

“Do you know what day it is?” the boy turned now and looked at the stranger with a broad smile.

“No. Friday?” 

“Nooo, it's my birthday!” Mahir grinned now and Clint nodded. 

“Well then, Happy Birthday.” 

“I'm twelve now,” the boy said and ignored his mother who called him from the other room. He was really small for his age, Clint thought.

“That's nice.” Clint deliberated for a second but then he opened the rucksack he had with him and rummaged through it's contents. He had a small Swiss army knife and after a few seconds he gave it to the boy. “Happy Birthday,” he repeated and Mahir's grin even broadened. 

“Thank you! Tammam, Tammam, look at this!” the boy yelled and ran away to show it apparently to his brother. 

“Your car is okay now,” the garage owner came in and Clint thanked him and paid. He waved at a still grinning Mahir, who stood by his father now, when Clint drove away.

 

 

He entered the tower with a really bad feeling in his guts. He needed to talk to Steve. At least he owed him an explanation about his strange behavior in the last weeks and he wanted to tell him about his future plans.

But when he entered the communal floor, the only one from where they could access their living floors, he heard a voice in the living room he hadn't heard in a while. 

“Hey, hey, Barton,” she called, when she spotted him and with a smirk she came over. “Thirty-three now and still spry?” 

“Hey Jan,” Clint grinned. He really hadn't expected to see Janet Pym. “Still married to that _flea_?” 

“Yeah, no. We're getting divorced. Sorry, that I couldn't come for your birthday. You know, work. I hope you've had a nice evening nevertheless,” she grinned and now Clint's face fell. 

It was quiet in the room. Very quiet. It was so quiet they could hear a pin drop. Tony, Bruce, Natasha, Steve and Jane stared at him, then at each other and he could see them pale.

“Clint?” Jan furrowed her brows and he licked his lips.

“Sorry, Jan. I... I have to go...” he left his stuff and fled to the elevator up to his floor. 

“Clint?” Steve came after him but thankfully Jarvis closed the door before the super soldier could reach him. Inside of his apartment he went to his kitchen, found the bottle of vodka in the fridge and took a sip. 

 

 

“Shit!” It was probably the first time ever someone heard Steve use a word like this.

“What was that?” Jan turned to look at Natasha and she turned her head away and blushed. “Okay, what happens here?” the small woman folded her arms in front of her chest and tapped with her foot on the floor impatiently.

“We... we forgot his birthday.” Bruce finally admitted and his face was bright red.

“Please tell me you're kidding me,” Jan murmured when she saw Steve run out of the room and to the stairs.

“No... it... the day he... the suit!” Tony stuttered and Jan pinched the bridge of her nose.

“You _all_ forgot it? Everyone? And you were wondering why he's so distant? God, what kind of friends are you?” Janet wasn't an Avenger anymore but she still was befriended with them and held contact with most of them. In all her time while she was part of the team Clint never wanted to celebrate his birthday. But he once told her, that a simple 'Happy Birthday, Clint' was what made his day. To know that his friends think about him. That they care. And all of them forgot him.

“How the fuck could you forget it? I've got a written invitation and I had it on my fridge. And I'm pretty sure, knowing how Barton can be, that he at least reminded everyone of you twice!”

Thor, who wasn't in the room with them, came in when he heard Jan's ranting. He went to Jane who seemed as abashed as the rest of them. 

“Why do you yell at them?” he asked and Jan glared.

“You also forgot Clint's invitation? And you really wonder why he's withdrawing from you?” She turned and went to the elevator. Jarvis let her up to Clint's floor where she found Steve sitting in front of his door and looking miserable. 

“He doesn't want to see me. I'm the worst boyfriend ever! Ever!” He muttered when he saw Janet come over. But when he expected her to comfort him then he was very much mistaken.

“Yeah, you're probably right,” she said and knocked at the door.

“Go away, Steve! I want to be alone!” she heard a voice and the blond at her feet flinched visible.

“Yeah, well. I'm not Steve. Come on, Barton, let me in!” she yelled back. It took a while but then she heard him unlock the door and he opened it a tiny crack. Janet saw his eyes flicker down to Cap, who still sat at the floor but then Clint opened the door and let her in and after a few more seconds he sighed and let the door open for Steve to decide if he wants to enter or not. 

Jan shook her head slightly. Sometimes he's simply to forgivingly. 

Clint was already back in his living room, curled up in the corner of his couch with a cushion and a bottle of vodka.

“No!” Jan couldn't repress and took the bottle. “There's no solution to this fucked up situation in this bottle.” He glared up at her but she just lifted her perfectly shaped brow. “It's either you talk to them and I mean Cap in particular or you leave. Everything else is... suboptimal.” 

“Suboptimal?” Clint looked up and furrowed his brows.

“Yeah. The _flea_ rubbed off.” Jan flopped down on the couch beside him.

“So, you want me to talk to them and then everything is forgiven and forgotten?” Clint hugged the cushion even tighter now that he didn't have his bottle anymore.

“Did I say that? No, they forgot you, they hurt you. Let them grovel for forgiveness,” she grinned with a tiny evil streak around her lips. 

“The flea definitely rubbed off on you.” Clint murmured but he couldn't withhold a grin himself. But then he looked up and saw Steve in the doorway, eyes wide and he twisted his fingers.

“Guess I'll let you two alone for a few minutes. There are a few other 'heroes' waiting for their dressing-down,” she sighed and rose. But before she left she pointed with index and middle finger at her eyes and then at Steve and Clint had to bite his lips to not blurt out a laugh. The super soldier seemed to shrink down at the gesture from a woman so much shorter than him.

When she had left the apartment he came over to Clint and knelt down.

“What are you doing?” Clint asked, slightly shocked, when Steve cast down his eyes.

“Groveling for your forgiveness, Clint.” He looked up and licked over his lips before he took his hand. “I know, I don't deserve it. I'm the worst boyfriend ever. But please, please don't leave me. I'm so, so sorry, that I forgot your birthday, please believe me. And I will make up for it. I'll do everything you want me to, really. Clint, I love you and I don't want to lose you.” 

Clint leaned his head back and looked at the ceiling for a few seconds. 

“I need time, Steve. I love you, don't doubt that, but... it really hurt. Even in the circus, with my asshole brother, I got at least a 'Happy Birthday, Clint'.” He turned to Steve, folded his legs and looked at him.

“All of you celebrated your birthdays with big parties and lots of guests and presents and all that stuff but you know that's not my style. It was your idea that I should celebrate as well. And then, when I did, you all forgot me. I just wanted a nice evening with my friends in a restaurant, sitting together, eat a nice meal and... you know... have a nice evening. I've waited for you. More than two hours. Do you know how stupid I felt when I sat there and felt all the glances on me? And then, when I came back I had this tiny hope that you maybe had planned a surprise party but nothing. I came home and found you here, reading, talking... completely unaware that I just had waited for all of you. No, instead I got questions why I dress up midweeks.” 

“Clint, I...” Steve wanted to say but when he shook his head the super soldier shut his mouth.

“I need time. I've applied for leave before I came back this afternoon and... and I'm away for the next two months.”

“Two months?” Steve was shocked.

“Yes. I... there are a few places I want to visit, you know, playing tourist. I need some distance. I need time to... you know... think about... stuff.”

“About us.” Steve threw in and swallowed.

“Among other things. Yeah.” 

“Clint, don't... please...” 

“No, Steve. I... I promise when I'm back we talk but right now... I _need_ that.” 

“Okay. Everything you want.” He rose and Clint just felt as if he had kicked a puppy when he looked at Steve's face. But he resisted the urge to lean up and kiss the super soldier. “I love you.”

Clint waited till he heard the front door falling shut. “I love you, too, Steve.”


	3. Happy Anniversary, Clint!

The day after Clint's departure Steve had already destroyed seven punching bags and was now working on the eighth. He was still furious with himself. How could he have forgotten his birthday? And Clint was right to be angry. After all, it was his, Steve's, idea that he should celebrate his day. And then? They forgot him. How could they forget him? All of them? It's not that he didn't say anything. The worst was, Clint _had_ remembered all of them and then... they forgot it. _He_ forgot it. 

Natasha's theory was that they forgot it because no one was used to Clint celebrating his birthday. But hey, they remembered all of the others as well, even after only two years of living together here in the tower. Jan had been right. They had to grovel to get his forgiveness. And that was what Steve intended to do. He had lost Peggy and he had lost Bucky in the past. He didn't want to lose Clint as well and definitely not because of his own stupidity. Therefor he loved him too much. And if he had to let him go then he would do it, even if it would rip out his heart. He would come back. He had promised it. He said, he needed some time alone to think about stuff but he also promised to come back to talk to him. His breathing was really hard when he stopped for a few seconds. What if he'll break up with him when he's back? No! No, that wasn't anything he wanted to think about. Clint wouldn't dump him, would he? He loved him. He told him. He wouldn't dump him. 

But he, Steve, had failed him. Clint had trusted him and he had let him down. He could forgive the others, they were _only_ colleagues but he? He was the man Clint was together with and he failed him so badly. He punched the bag in front of him so hard that it broke. 

“Jarvis?” he said and went to the bench with his bag. He took the bottle of water and took a long sip.

“I'm afraid, Captain, that was the last one we had,” the soft voice answered.

“Can you order more?” Steve panted and sat down to remove the wraps around his hands. 

“I've already ordered some but they won't be here until tomorrow.” 

“Thanks, Jarvis.” He placed his head in his hands and felt them shake. Sometimes he wished that he still could get drunk. Well, he knew that there were a few more punching bags at the New York Shield base and with a sigh he took his stuff and went to the elevator.

 

 

Steve spent the first week more or less in the gym. Jarvis had ordered much more punching bags. But after a week, a few broken bones and a dressing-down from Bruce they locked the gym and even at Shield base they didn't let him in. He deliberated to go to a boxing club in the city but they wouldn't be too excited to have to replace all of their punching bags as well. Luckily they had a few missions and it was the first time that Steve was thankful that some evil guy wanted to destroy New York. And he couldn't care less that the papers wrote he was so much more vengeful than usual. 

 

 

Two weeks without a message from Clint. Was he okay? Was he alive? Did he have a nice time? Did he miss him? Had he already forgotten him? Steve stared at the bottle of Asgardian mead and chuckled hysterically into himself before he took the next sip. He could hear Thor banging at the door but hey, Tony had made the whole upper floors Hulk-proof. No one could come in. Not as long as he held the door locked.

 

 

Three weeks after Clint left for his _vacation_ Steve got a letter. He dreaded to open it despite recognizing the scribbled letters, forming his name. It was Clint's handwriting and he had sent it from Croatia. 

He carried it around for two days till he finally could bring himself to open it. But it wasn't what he expected. He had hoped, he had really hoped to find a letter from Clint, telling him that he had forgiven him and that he would come back soon. He had feared that it was a letter from Clint telling him that it was over, that he couldn't forgive him ever and that he never wanted to talk to him. Instead he got a bundle of picture postcards. There wasn't a letter or anything with them, just a few picture postcards. Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Yoho National Parks, Alberta and from a Polar bear safari in Churchill, Manitoba. So he's been in Canada. He skimmed further through the postcards. The Ring Road, Iceland, Causway Coast, Ireland, Argyll Highlands, Scotland, Lofoten Islands, Norway, Plitvice Lakes, Croatia.

After that first letter every few days a new postcard arrived. Tel Aviv, Israel, Dubai, UAE, Paro Valley, Bhutan. 

The very first time he added something else than just his name was on the card from Taj Mahal, India. "Did you ever build a castle in the Air? Here is one, brought down to earth and fixed for the wonder of ages". (Bayard Taylor)

Steve couldn't hold back a grin. It still wasn't what he expected but at least... he 'talked' to him again. From that postcard on he got some short messages. Mostly only a sentence. West Lake, Zhejiang, China. “That's one of the most beautiful places ever. Clint.” 

Mount Fuji, Japan. “They say there are many paths leading to the top of Mount Fuji, but there is only one summit - love. Clint.”

Borobudur, Java, Indonesia. “One day you need to see this. Clint.”

Ko Phi Phi, Thailand. “The coral reefs are gorgeous. Had to think of you. Clint.”

Matamata, New Zealand. “Greetings from 'the Shire'. Clint.” Steve smiled when he read that. He knew how much the archer loved the Lord of the Rings movies. 

Then it took a few more days till the next postcard arrived. Steve was really worried and he nearly hugged Natasha when she brought it to him.

It came from Kenya and he was in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. “I've seen the big five. Clint.” 

The pyramids of Egypt, Egypt. “Why do I always have to think of you when I see all this old stuff? Clint.” And he had drawn a smiley behind his name.

The next postcard came in a small parcel, together with a bottle of limoncello and a few lemons. Amalfi, Italy. “You would love to draw the town. It's beautiful. Clint.”

Paris, France. “I miss you. Clint.”

Machu Picchu, Peru. “This place showed me how unimportant some things are. Looking forward to see you. Clint.”

Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica. “I've learned a lot about relationships, Steve. Meet me in St.Helena, California on Saturday, the 26th, this month. I'm waiting on the picnic grounds on V. Sattui Winery for you, around noon. Clint.”

 

 

Steve yelped when he read the message. Clint wanted to see him. He looked at the calendar. It was Friday, the 25th. With the postcard in his hand he ran to the elevator and drove down to Tony's lab. He didn't bother to ask Jarvis where the engineer was, it was most likely to find him there. And he was right. When he left the elevator he could see Tony ranting at Dummy and the bot seemed really miserable. Sometimes he wondered how sentient those bots really were.

He knocked at the door and Tony turned his head, said something and the door went open. 

“Hey, Spangles, what brought you down to my den?” he grinned and Steve waved with the postcard.

“He wants to meet me!” 

Tony cocked his head and pursed his lips. “That's good, isn't it?” 

Steve handed him the last postcard and Tony read it. “Costa Rica. Nice,” he murmured. “You need the jet?” he looked up but Steve already nodded.

“That was what I wanted to ask you.” He confirmed.

“Jarvis, tell Pep we need the jet.” 

“Certainly, sir.” 

“Thanks, Tony.” Steve shifted and Tony gave him his postcard. 

“Hey, Spa... Steve. It will come out all right. He still loves you.” 

“You think?” 

“He wouldn't have chosen a romantic picnic ground if he wanted to dump you.” Tony grinned when Steve paled a bit. “He didn't ask you to meet him on top of the volcano, did he?” With a gesture and a smirk Tony shooed him out of his workshop and Steve's face lit up a bit. Tomorrow he would see him.

“Thanks again,” Steve said when he finally left.

 

 

Steve was nervous. Really, really nervous. What if Tony was wrong? What if he would break with him despite the beautiful winery? 

When he went to the picnic ground he could already see him, sitting on a picnic rug with his face turned to the sun. Steve's heart stopped for a moment. He looked so beautiful, relaxed and at peace with himself. 

But then he opened his eyes and looked around, saw Steve and waved for him and his heart jumped when he saw the smile on his face. 

“Clint,” he breathed and went over to him. But before he could do anything Clint already wrapped his arms around him and kissed him and once again, his heart stopped. It wasn't a chaste and uncertain kiss, like the last time they kissed, this one was full of passion and love and pent-up emotions. It was demanding and offensive and so, so good. 

“I've missed you,” he breathed when they finally separated and Steve couldn't hold back a happy smile when he heard these words.

“I've missed you, too.” Their foreheads touched and Clint had to look up to his larger lover. 

“Steve, I...” Clint started.

“Clint, I...” Steve said at the very same moment and both stopped and grinned. But then Clint took Steve's hand and led him to the picnic rug. He found a bottle of wine, a plate with grapes and another one with finger food beside it and Clint shushed him the moment he tried to speak again. They both sat down and Clint handed Steve a glass and filled it with the wine before he refilled his own glass. 

“I'm sorry,” Clint said after taking a sip of wine. 

“What? Uhm... that's... what?” Steve stared at him, his brows furrowed and clearly completely confused. “You don't have to, it's...” 

“No, please. Let me finish.” He put his glass away and took Steve's hand. “I'm sorry for my childish behavior. I've sulked like a three years old and didn't realize what is really important. But now I know. The most important thing in my life, Steve, is you.”

“But I...” Steve tried to interrupt him but Clint shushed him with another kiss. 

“Hear me out, please. I've thought about a lot of things in the last two months and I realized a missed birthday is not worlds end. We all are human and we make mistakes. I make them, you make them. And hell, now we know that even Tony or Phil make mistakes. At least sometimes,” he smirked and licked over his lips. “Yes, I was angry that you forgot me. That all of you forgot me. But... to lose you... just because you've made a mistake? No. That's not what I want because I love you way to much. That's not how a relationship works. So, can you forgive me?”  


Steve wasn't sure if he had heard correctly. For a moment he thought he was in a wrong world. He had thought that he would grovel for Clint's forgiveness and now Clint asked him to forgive him. 

“Clint...” he wanted to say so much more, but all the words stuck in his throat. And he didn't care that there were a lot of people around them and that they could recognize them, he just wrapped his arms around Clint and pressed him to his body, kissed him a few times and didn't even care about the tears he shed. He wouldn't lose Clint. He wouldn't lose him. Clint still loved him. He still wanted to be with him. 

“I've missed you so much in the last two months.” Steve finally managed after a while and he smiled when he saw Clint nod. 

“I'm sorry, Steve. I'm so sorry that I put you through all of this.”

“No.” Steve still didn't let him go, still held him close to himself with the clear intention to never let him go again. “You've been right. We failed you. We embarrassed you. We forgot you. But I promise, as long as I live.. something like this will never ever happen.”

“No. Don't say that. Like I've said. We're all human and humans make mistakes but if you want to promise something, then promise me to never let me down.”

“Never.” Steve looked so seriously at Clint that he couldn't repress a tiny chuckle. 

“You're cute when you look like this,” Clint murmured and kissed his nose. 

“I mean it, Clint. I will never let you down.” He moved back a bit and looked at Clint who smiled at him.

“I love you, Steve. And I also will never let you down. Promise.” He laid his hand on Steve's neck and pulled him over for the next kiss. 

“What about the others?” Steve asked when they parted after a long time.

“Don't be mad but... I've already talked to them. We... we're even.” 

“You've talked to them? When? No one told me...” Steve frowned, clearly angry at his team-mates.

“I... I called them. Skype, you know. I've asked them to not tell you and apparently it worked. Guess I guilt-tripped them a bit. I wanted this shit to be out of the world when I'm back but... with you... with you I wanted to talk in person.” Clint grinned lopsided and Steve couldn't be mad at the others. He would've done the same and so he just shook his head slightly, but with a smile, and kissed Clint again.

“And now I want to hear about all those places you've been,” he murmured and tried one of the grapes.

 

 

When the Stark Industries jet landed in New York a few days later a stretch limousine waited for them. Steve didn't know about it but when they saw a broadly grinning Happy they shrugged and entered the car.

“What's going on, Happy?” Clint asked but he man just winked, grinned, and closed the window between them so he and Steve were alone. They drove out of the city and after a while they found themselves in New Jersey and then Clint saw it. A big top. 

“Steve, are we...” he asked and looked over at him, nervously. 

But this time Steve smirked knowingly and took Clint's hand. When the car stopped they waited for Happy to open the door and Natasha waited for them in front of the entrance. 

“I've thought _you_ are going to fetch us?” Steve whispered but Natasha just lifted her brow and turned around. They both followed her. 

Clint saw lot's of children on the seats but Steve led him to the loge where he could see his friends. Tony and Pepper, Bruce and Betty, Thor and Jane and Darcy, Fury, Maria, Jasper, Phil, Melinda and Janet. They already were there, waited and grinned at them and everyone of them hugged them. Only Fury just clapped their shoulders.

“Do you know what day we have today?” Steve asked when they took their seats.

“Yes, it's our anniversary.” Clint whispered back. “You've rented a circus? Just for our anniversary?” He was baffled and stared at the super soldier.

“Well, no. They are on their regular tour. We just bought all the tickets for this performance and we gave them to children in orphanages and foster families. But this performance is for you. Only for you. Happy Anniversary, Clint,” Steve murmured and squeezed Clint's hand.

“Happy Anniversary, Steve.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I hope you're okay with the happy ending. I've been a little bit unfriendly to Clint lately and I thought he deserves a happy end. ;)

**Author's Note:**

> [asamandra on tumblr](http://asamandra.tumblr.com/)


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